Chapter Six
It wasn’t the shower that made me feel confident, it was the music. I’m standing in just a towel, finalizing my hair and makeup… actually smiling when he calls.
“I’m here to get you.” I hear a car door close just as he speaks.
“I need a few more minutes.”
“Fine. I’ll come in.”
“No.”
“Camille. Just unlock the door, I’ll wait for you in your front room. Take all the time you need.” I rush to the door and then back to my own room, locking and unlocking so that he can come in, but keeping him from barging into my bedroom. Now I feel hurried and don’t feel the slightest ready for whatever it is he’s going to put me through today.
Choosing to compromise on the bra and panties, I choose a g-string and leave off the bra. This dress is too short for me to be bare assed… but then again I can still feel the air, but this makes me feel better. I do a few small jumps and sways from side to side to see how much movement I can get away with before the girls get to moving… yeah I’ll need to be real careful.
Taking one last look at myself, I primp my hair and throw all reservations out the window and walk toward the door. These heels are slightly taller than the pair I wore last night, and very much taller than the Chucks I like to wear when I do go anywhere.
I walk past him to get my purse, trying not to seem like I’m looking for a compliment, but hoping for one anyway. What girl doesn’t want to hear that she looks nice? “Christ. I’m going to have to make a stop before we get there.” Well, that wasn’t exactly the sound of approval I was expecting, but I guess his mind is elsewhere.
“Let me get my purse and I’ll be ready. Will I need anything else?”
“Possibly a toothbrush for the morning.”
“You’re a funny one. Ok, let’s go.”
“Camille, I wasn’t trying to be funny.” His monotone, sexy voice sends chills over my body when he talks into my hair. A single finger skimming down my bare back before his other hand grips my hip, stopping me just before I reach for the knob. “You look sexy as fuck. Don’t think I didn’t notice those bare tits and the simple string of panties as a compromise. It’s as if you’re already meeting me half way, but still negotiating to keep your independence. I like your determination.” He moves the hair off my shoulder and kisses the inside of my neck, leaving moisture behind from his tongue licking all the way to my ear.
“Is this part of the business arrangement you have planned?” Who was that pathetic, breathy person talking? I’ve never heard her before in my life.
“No, just a bonus.” He slips his hand lower until he’s touching my bare leg, then without any resistance from me he reaches around and runs a finger over the small swatch of material that’s meant to make me feel covered. “I like the lace. But I hope you aren’t too attached to it.” He circles his finger over my clit, sending my back melting against his chest. “Hold still.” And with that he grips the tiny piece of lace and rips it, his second hand helping to tear apart what’s left around my waist.
I want to yell and scream at him for assuming he could rip my clothes… but I can’t speak. He has me breathless and begging for his touch again. My clit is pulsing and I find myself longing for more when he adjusts my dress back into position and slips my panties into his pocket. “That was my counter-offer.” He lightly bites my ear just before he steps away, leaving my back cold to the air and missing the heat from his body instantly.
“Joe is waiting.” He takes my hand and waits for me to lock my apartment before leading me down the stairs and to a limo. “Joe, this is Camille. You will be her driver from here on out.” I barely here what he’s saying over the thumping of my heartbeat in my chest.
“Damon, no.”
“We can do this with everything… or you can learn that I usually get what I want and choose your battles wisely. Is this really something you want to use your energy on when you know so much more is coming? I won’t negotiate when it comes to you having people around to take care of you. This business deal will make you very popular, so you’ll need security in place. Joe is my best guy and who I trust to make sure you get where you’re supposed to be when I’m not there.” I don’t argue. I don’t remind him that I haven’t taken the job yet, because honestly he won’t listen to me about that anyway.
I need to spend the day with him and then decide if this project is something I can really do. Until then I’m just going to let him be himself… let him say and do as he would without me interjecting… that will be the only way to know the real Mr. Darkness.
“Fine. But can you please clear decisions like this with me first?”
“I’ll consider it.”
“How nice of you.” I move over in the seat, allowing him to decide whether he sits next to me or leaves a space. He puts his arm over my shoulder and pulls me against his body. I leave my legs crossed tightly, trying to prevent any finger slippage from him that’ll no doubt send my sex-starved body into a fit. I’m obviously hyper-sensitive when it comes to this man and I don’t need Joe witnessing me come undone.
“Joe, please take us to the cave.”
“Will do, Mr. Deverick.” Joe responds as the partition glass is closing.
“The cave? Should I be worried?”
“You should never be worried when you’re with me, Camille. You’ll soon learn this and it’ll become second nature.” He lightly grips my thigh, putting his fingers around the leg that’s closest to him. I cross my hands just next to his and don’t encourage him to move any further up. I know without a doubt if I uncrossed my legs, we’d be thrown straight into desperate groping and racing straight to sex.
I turn to take in the city as we pass the tall downtown buildings, trying not to think about how quickly he can flip my emotions.
“I’ll be introducing you to the crew tonight, but just remember you won’t have to deal with any of them on a regular basis. It’ll only be on production days where everyone is required to be there. Most of the days will be just a small handful of people.” I can already tell he’s trying to cushion the torture I’ll be putting myself through doing this for him. “Today we’ll just be working with some of the regulars that will work with me. Three women and five men will be at the cave, all of them ready to show you what you’re getting into.”
“You don’t want to brief me on some of it before we arrive? You’d rather me go in blind?”
“I like how you think. No, it’s best if I just show you. I don’t want you having any predetermined judgments based on your own limitations. You need to experience it all for yourself before you make any decisions.” None of that makes me feel any better and I sure as hell am regretting leaving the house in this dress.
I need my head examined. This isn’t like me, I don’t go anywhere and I sure don’t do something that’ll draw attention like wearing this dress. No matter how much I want to make him turn around the limo and take me home, I can’t. He wouldn’t take me anyway.
“I can sense your inner turmoil. Your body gives you away.” I turn to look at him, his blue eyes pulling my attention before his mouth does.
“I’m fine.” He stops me from talking any further with his thumb sliding down my bottom lip while his other fingers curl under my chin.
“Camille. Before this is over you’ll learn to communicate with me. You’ll realize that you can speak to me in ways that only I’ll be able to understand.” His thumb slides back and forth, gently brushing my entire bottom lip. “I’ll be able to simply look at you and you’ll know what I want as well.”
“You’re pretty transparent you know. I think I may already be able to guess what you want.” I whisper my response to him, his closeness forcing the restraint in the volume of my voice.
“Then why aren’t you responding?”
“Because we’re in a limo, on our way to conduct business.” I lay my hand on his forearm, pulling it down to my lap, keeping him from distracting me with his touch any further. “And I want to keep a clear head about all of this.”
“I can respect that. If you’re willing to admit you’re intrigued by me. Not only what I’ve offered you in business, but that you crave what I can possibly do for you sexually. Tell me I have you wet, just from taking your panties earlier.” His words get deeper as he talks.
“Please. It takes more than just some panty ripping to get me going.” I feign success in that wetness battle, even though it wouldn’t take much for him to prove me wrong. “Now where are we headed? I need to send my sister the address so she knows where to find me if you decide to pull any serial killer stunts.” His blatant laughter startles me. He sits forward to pull a water bottle from the mini-fridge, offering it to me before he begins to talk.
“Camille, you amuse me.” He sits back against the seat, removing himself from practically hovering over me with his near presence. Choosing not to play into his baiting, I simply nod no to his drink offer and return to watching the streets pass in the window next to me. “You can send your sister the address, but she won’t be needing it.”
“Isn’t that something all murderers would say?”
“Not sure. But believe me, I want you alive for what I have planned.”
“What exactly is it you have planned?” I continue to talk toward the window, refusing to look at him and allow him to consume me once again.
“You’ll soon see Camille, but it won’t be more than you want yourself.” I’m thoroughly confused by this man. His appeal leaves me breathless and I should be terrified out of my mind, but I’m not. I’m fascinated by his every word. His every move. “We’re pulling into the drive now. You can share your location with your sister if you’d like.” I pull out my phone and send an email to myself with the location. If something happens to me, they’d look there anyway and this will keep my sister from showing up uninvited while I’m working. I can feel the heat of his stare as I do, but I don’t let him deter me from doing it. He needs to think someone has my whereabouts and will be looking for me even though I don’t feel like he’s going to be a danger to me.
“Is there anything I should know before we go in there?”
“Just be open-minded and don’t rush to any decisions until I’ve taken you home tonight. Can you promise me that?” He slides his fingers around my hand and pulls it toward him just as the car comes to a stop, shifting closer to the door as he does.
We step out of the limo while Joe holds the door open for us. He’s looking down at his hand as I stand… almost as if he’s been trained not to look at a woman on Damon’s arm. I shift my dress lower on my legs and then allow Damon to lead the way with my arm tucked inside his. Not that I did that by choice, he reached for my hand and did it before we took our first step.
He walks me up the trail created by concrete walls on both sides before he stops and turns to me. “You mentioned going in blind and I think that’s a perfect idea.” He begins to remove his dark blue tie, sliding it through his collar in the sexiest way. His mouth is parted and I watch as his tongue leaves a trail of moisture on his lips just before he holds it up. “Turn around. Consider this the first test.”
“Test?”
“To see how well we work together. If you can trust me to guide you into an unknown place, then we’re already further than most business partners.” Is he really going to pretend this is still about business?
I turn and allow him to put the silk over my eyes and then stand still as he carefully works it so that I can’t possibly see anything. His strong hands guide me to turn around before he leads me down the path once again.
With one hand holding mine and the other on the lowest part of my back, I take each step slowly, my head held high trying to allow my other senses to take control and give me some insight as to where I am, but getting very little. A slight breeze and the smell of flowers are the only things I notice. The path is made out of concrete with steps going up every once in a while. My heels echo between the walls allowing me to imagine them still at our sides.
He talks me through the first few steps, “Don’t grip my hand, allow me to hold yours. Feel me guide you. When my thumb swipes the back of your hand, then you know there’s a step.” It’s rough the first few steps, my mind learning to focus on only his touch. He begins to lead me with only his silent gestures until we reach the end of the path. The sound of my footsteps changes as we get near and I can tell we’re standing in front of something large, but the walls to the side are now gone.
I stand still waiting for him to guide me further, but he doesn’t. His feet shift behind me while he pulls his hand from mine. “Jesus Camille. You have no idea what you do to me.” His breath blows past my ear as he removes the tie, sliding it down to my neck and then after a simple loop, he moves it so that it drapes down my back. His fingers touch me every chance he gets and it takes everything I have to remain perfectly still, knowing he’s analyzing my body along with every move I make. “So perfect.” His large hands adjust the tie so that it’s smooth around my neck. “This’ll have to do.” The brush of silk hitting my back only heightens my already over the top sensations, sending chills over me once again.
Allowing my fingers to tickle the silk as I turn to face him, I try not to look directly into his eyes. “Are you sure I’m the right person for the job?”
“Why do you keep asking?” He lifts my chin until I’m looking into his eyes.
I swallow hard before I answer. “Because I just don’t see us being able to concentrate enough to work together.”
“That’s very possible, but I insist that we try. Now remember, open your mind to what I’m showing you. Free it from judgement and just let me show you my world today.” His stern stare forces me to nod in agreeance, even though I’m not sure what I just consented to. Worst case scenario, I leave. I can always get my sister to have one of her goons come out here to save me.